Whether you are traveling on a three-day excursion to the Bahamas or a 15-day journey to Hawaii, Carnival cruise lines celebrates Christmas at sea from mid-December through the new year. Carnival Christmas cruises are offered from coast to coast throughout the month of December.

Itinerary Options

Most of Carnival's 24 ships offer Christmas cruise itineraries, including New Orleans' Carnival Sunshine, Miami's Carnival Breeze, New York's Carnival Splendor and Los Angeles' Carnival Miracle. At publication, more than 70 Christmas cruises are available in three- to 15-day itineraries, with prices starting at $189 per person for an interior stateroom. Destinations include port stops in Mexico, the Caribbean, Hawaii, the Bahamas and Latin America. To find out if Carnival offers a Christmas cruise from your disembarkation port, visit the Carnival website (carnival.com).

Christmas at Sea

When you step aboard a Carnival cruise ship for a mid-December voyage, the halls -- and decks -- are decked with boughs of holly and lots of holiday cheer. Christmas trees, mistletoe and wreathes adorn the ship's atrium and promenade areas, while cruise signage is decorated with traditional, holiday themed messages. Holiday menus include a turkey dinner, served with all the trimmings, and Christmas music plays throughout the ship.

Special Events

In addition to holiday ambiance, Carnival Christmas cruises provide Christmas-themed events for children and adults. On Christmas Eve, the ship's staff reads "Twas the Night Before Christmas," and Santa makes an appearance. Holiday films are shown in the ship's theater. The staff at Camp Carnival, Carnival's youth program, stages a full Christmas pageant that stars the ship's young travelers. Camp Carnival also provides a variety of Christmas-themed activities such as decorating ornaments for the Christmas tree in the lobby.

Tips and Considerations

There are no religious services aboard a Carnival cruise. Impromptu services may be held in the ship's chapel if a vacationing clergy member volunteers. If you would like to attend church services at port on Christmas Day, visit the Carnival concierge for a list of churches or other religious facilities. Carnival also celebrates Hanukkah with a nightly lighting of a menorah.

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About the Author

Leah Waldron is the head of Traveler Services at First Abroad, a gap year travel company based in Boston and London. As a travel, research and LGBT news writer, Waldron has publication credit on magazines and newspapers including "Curve Magazine," "USA Today," "The Sun Sentinel" and the "The Houston Chronicle." Waldron has a bachelor's and master's degree in creative writing from Florida State University.